Chapter 65 - 64: Something’s Wrong With Them

Chapter 65: Chapter 64: Something’s Wrong With Them

The girl lowered her head and stammered, "Auntie, I haven’t really thought that far ahead..."

’If Auntie found out that the person I like is her son, who knows what would happen.’

’Just thinking about it felt exciting and nerve-racking.’

Her cheeks couldn’t help but flush an even deeper red.

Seeing her blush, Xiao Ran knew she was just being shy. He placed a piece of fish in Yan Xici’s bowl.

"Just eat."

After saying that, he glanced over at his mom.

"You’re meddling way too much. Xici is still young, what’s the rush? It won’t be too late after she graduates!"

’Why does she need a boyfriend so early? There are so many scumbags out there now. What if she gets taken advantage of?’

At his words, the girl beside him shot Xiao Ran a grateful look.

’As expected, Brother Xiao Ran understands me best!’

’If he hadn’t been here, I would’ve died of embarrassment!!!’

Qiu Yuru, however, didn’t quite understand her son’s words.

She took a bite of rice and continued, "Xici should be turning 20 this year. Weren’t you only eighteen when you started dating Yan Li?"

’It’s a natural part of life, getting married when you reach a certain age.’

’I just asked a simple question. It’s one thing for the girl to be shy, but why is *he* so tense?’

’Besides, I was just making a casual remark.’

’After all, we’ve barely met. You have to talk to get to know people.’

Xiao Ran gave a resigned smile and put a piece of fish in his mom’s bowl.

"You should eat more, too."

’Maybe if her mouth is full, she’ll talk less.’

He had to admit, the girl’s cooking was delicious.

It wasn’t long before the three of them had finished eating.

The fish on the table was picked clean, leaving only its skeleton. Absolutely nothing had gone to waste.

Xiao Ran had even eaten the fish head!

After finishing, he looked at Yan Xici with approval. "This is really good. Your cooking just keeps getting better and better!"

At Xiao Ran’s praise, the girl’s heart soared, and a sweet, radiant smile spread across her face.

"As long as Brother Xiao Ran enjoys it, I’ll work hard to make it even better!"

At these words, Qiu Yuru, who had just set down her chopsticks, paused.

’The girl seems a little *too* nice to Xiao Ran!’

’How should I put it... it’s the kind of affection you’d see between a couple.’

’Then again, it’s possible she really does just see Xiao Ran as a brother.’

’She couldn’t be sure about that.’

’After all, it had only been a single meal. She didn’t have a good grasp on their dynamic yet.’

The girl also realized she’d been a bit too eager.

Feeling a pang of guilt, she stole a sideways glance at Qiu Yuru.

’If Auntie realized I have designs on Brother Xiao Ran, I’d just die of shame!’

The more she thought about it, the more nervous she became.

Her heart began to race, and she anxiously twisted her hands together, looking constrained.

But thankfully, Qiu Yuru didn’t say a word.

Instead, she stood up, smiling warmly.

She started clearing the dishes from the table. The girl had, after all, been busy all afternoon.

She couldn’t bring herself to let the girl keep working all by herself.

How could Yan Xici allow that? She quickly stood up to stop her.

"Auntie, it’s okay, I’ll get it."

With that, she took the dishes from the older woman’s hands with her own small, fair ones.

Then she began clearing the rest of the table with brisk efficiency.

Yan Xici might have been a novice when it came to chores, but she was remarkably efficient.

It was probably related to her meticulous nature; everything she did looked polished and was done without hesitation.

Watching the capable young woman work, a flicker of admiration appeared in Qiu Yuru’s eyes.

"Xici, dear, let me do it. You’ve been working hard all day. I can handle a few chores."

With that, she followed her into the kitchen and began wiping down the stovetop.

Seeing the older woman start to work, the girl quickly reached out to stop her.

"It’s really no trouble, Auntie. I can handle it. You just arrived today, why don’t you have Brother Xiao Ran take you out for a walk?"

’After all, Auntie just got here today. She thought Brother Xiao Ran should show her around the area.’

"’No rush. I’ll go for a walk with him after we’re done cleaning up,’ the older woman said, continuing to wipe the stovetop with a rag.

Thankfully, there wasn’t much to do, and they were completely finished in ten minutes.

Xiao Ran knew his mom must have a lot on her mind that she wanted to talk to him about.

He took the hint and looked at his mom, who had just finished her chores.

"Mom, come on. I’ll take you for a walk around the complex. We can call it an after-dinner stroll, and we can stop by the supermarket to buy you some bedsheets!"

’His mom had arrived in such a hurry that he hadn’t prepared anything. Since he had time now, he could go with her to buy them.’

At his words, Qiu Yuru rolled her eyes at him.

"By the time you thought of it, little Xiaoxi had already gotten them for me!"

’Honestly, boys are just not as thoughtful as girls!’

’It’s such a shame I never had a daughter.’

Hearing this, Xiao Ran looked over at the girl, surprised.

"When did you buy them?"

’I can’t believe she was so thoughtful.’

’She’d already bought everything his mom would need.’

The girl in the kitchen gave a shy smile, her eyes earnest and sincere.

"I didn’t have anything to do this afternoon, so I went to the supermarket and got them for Auntie. I’m not very good at picking things out, so I just grabbed whatever looked okay. I hope Auntie doesn’t mind them."

’Of course, she hadn’t just ’grabbed whatever.’ She had been so worried that Auntie wouldn’t like her choices that she’d stared at the options until her eyes nearly went blind!’

’She only said that because she was afraid of putting Auntie under any pressure.’

In reality, she wasn’t the type of girl who was good at expressing her feelings.

The same was true for how she showed she cared; she would just do things quietly, without fanfare.

Afraid of making others feel obligated, she would downplay her efforts, even when she’d put in a lot of thought, claiming it was "no big deal" or "on the way."

"’Of course I don’t mind! Not at all,’ Qiu Yuru chuckled. ’You’re so good to me, it’s making me wish I’d had a daughter.’"

’And she meant every word of it!’

’Preparing toiletries for her, picking the bones out of her fish... this didn’t feel like visiting her son’s home at all. It felt like she was visiting a daughter!’

’She couldn’t have been happier!’

’It was just a shame the girl wasn’t her own child.’

’Otherwise, having such a thoughtful girl would be a blessing she must have earned in a past life!’

...

Once outside, the mother and son strolled casually through the residential complex in the twilight.

A faint, cool breeze drifted from somewhere, feeling pleasant against their skin.

Qiu Yuru gave her son a probing look.

"You know... if you had ended up with Yan Xici back then, I bet you wouldn’t be divorced right now. You might even have kids already, huh?"

She wasn’t just saying that for the sake of it; the girl was simply too good to her son.

With her sweet and obedient demeanor, she was the very picture of a doting young wife.

Then again, she wasn’t entirely sure. It was possible Yan Xici was just naturally like that.

This compelled her to give her son a little reminder.

’The girl was wonderful, but given their relationship, the two of them weren’t exactly a suitable match.’

At her words, Xiao Ran froze, staring at her in astonishment.

"Mom, we’re just having a chat. Why are you going off on a tangent?"

’He really had no idea how to answer his mom’s question.’

’Besides, he hadn’t even known Yan Xici back then.’

’It’s like the old saying goes: hindsight is 20/20.’

Qiu Yuru gave him a mysterious smile.

"Look at you, so defensive. We’re just talking. Is there anything you can’t tell your own mother?"